1905.] on Personal Recollections of Johannes Brahms. 141 



Brahms played his own Concerto in D minor magnificently. 



After the concert we went to the house of the Princess of Hesse- 

 Barchfeld to supper. Although Brahms, Ernst Franck, the genial 

 composer and conductor, who had come over from Mannheim, 

 and I, were the only non-aristocratic guests present, the affair was 

 very charming and gemutUch. Brahms' neighbour at table was the 

 very handsome and fascinating wife of a celebrated general, and this 

 fact, together with the fiery Bhine wine, had a most animating effect 

 on Brahms. After supper, the greater part of the company had a 

 lively game of billiards, and just before leaving, the princess pre- 

 sented Brahms with a handsome box of ebony, to the lid of which a 

 laurel wreath of silver was attached. Each leaf of the WTeath had 

 the title of one of Brahms' works engraved on it. He wasdehghted, 

 though much amused at finding on one of the leaves " Triumphlied," 

 that colossal " Song of Triumph " for double chorus and orchestra, 

 and on the very next one to it, " Wiegenlied," the sweet little lullaby 

 of eighteen bars. 



Berlin, Feb. 28, 1876. — Just arrived home from Wiesbaden. 

 Spent another interesting day there with Brahms yesterday. In the 

 morning he went with me to the Landgravine Anna of Hesse, a 

 princess of considerable musical talent, whom, however, as he told 

 me, he mostly admired for her simple and modest, yet extremely 

 cordial and affable manners. Otherwise he does not particularly care 

 for personal intercourse with the " highest spheres of society," as he 

 calls it. 



Sassnitz, on the Island of Ruegen, Saturday, July 8, 1876. — 

 Arrived here last night. The diligence was delayed by one of the 

 heaviest thunderstorms I can remember, and did not pull up at the 

 little hostelry which also contains the post-ofiice, until half -past eleven ; 

 but in spite of the late hour, Brahms was there to welcome me, and 

 we had an hour's chat in the little coffee-room. Then he returned 

 to his lodgings down in the village, whilst I came up here to the 

 hotel on the Fahrnberg, where, however, Brahms is going to have his. 

 midday and evening meals regularly. 



Brahms is looking splendid. His sohd frame, the healthy, dark 

 brown colour of his face, the full hair, just a httle sprinkled with 

 grey, all make him appear the very image of strength and vigour. 

 He walks about here just as he pleases, generally with his waistcoat 

 unbuttoned and his hat in his hand, always with clean linen, but 

 without collar or necktie. These he dons at tahle d^hote only. His 

 whole appearance vividly recalls some portraits of Beethoven. His 

 appetite is excellent. Evenings he regularly drinks three glasses of 

 beer, always, however, finishing with his beloved kaffee. 



July 10. — Yesterday Brahms showed me the manuscript of an 

 unpublished song, and of the first movement of a requiem, both by 

 Schubert, enthusiastically commenting on their beauty. The first 

 two issues of the Bach Society's pubhcation of cantatas were lying 



